Means for cutting tubes to produce tubular fibrous containers



June 22, 1948- M. c, RICCIARDI MEANS FOR CUTTING TUBES To PRODUCE TUBULAR FIBROUS CONTAINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 14., 1944 INVENTOR. MA TTHEW c. R/CC/A'RD/ FIQE.

A TTORNEX M. c. RICCIARDI MEANS FOR CUTTING T S TO PRODUCE TUBULAR FIBROUS NTAINERS I 2 She ets-Sheet 2 June 22, 1948. 2,443,963-

Fiied Feb. 14, 1944 INVENTOR. MA TZHEW c. R/CC/A RD/ l I I I i1. BY

A, TTORNE) tainer;

Patented June 22, 1948 MEANS. Foaom'rmo 'runasro RRQDUGE,

TUBULAR EIBROUQCQN'EAINERS" Matthew' C. Ricciardi, Phillipsbm'g, N J4, assignor to They Canister Company, Inc Phillipsburg, N. I. a corporation of New-town Application February 14, 11144,, senai No. 522,339,

My invention relates to machines and methods for cuttin tubes and particularly to construetions adapted for use in producing tubular containers or closures formed of fibrous material.

Heretofore in manutacturing'fibrous containers and slip covers made of fibrous material it has been usual practice to form tubing or relatively long tubes of spirally wound paper, fiber or the like, and to out the tubing transversely into relatively short sections. However, in such cuttin operations the cutting blade is passed across the tubing and moves from the exterior toward the interior of the tubing. Since the innersurface of the tubing is unsupported the cutting; blade tends to force the material inward eparatingthe plies of which the tubing is formed and producing a ragged inner edge or burr that projects toward the interior of the cuttube. The same type of inwardly projectin edge is formed when the tubin to be cut is formed of any other material and cut in the conventional manner;

Thepresence of a ragged inner edge or inwardly projecting burr on the extremity of 'a container bod-y, slip cover or other tube section is objectionable because the rough edges have to be trimmed or ground off in order topermit the insertion ofa close fitting closure into the end thereof or in order to slip the'section over a con- Moreover, ifthe cutting blade presents a bevelled edge the cut end' of the tube generally will be correspondingly bevelled and present] an inner edge which is relatively thin andweak, thus member into theend ofa container body.

Furthermore, when the: cut tube sections are used in producing the bodies of containers for oily material, such as paints or the like; the tubing from w ich the sections are formed isfrequently provided with an inner liner of parchment or other water-proof paper. When. such lined tubing is cut in the conventional manner by a cuttin blade which passes from the exterior toward the interior of thetubing the blade furthe! tends to strip the liner awayfrom the fibrous body of the tubing: exposing the'bod y and thus rendering theresulting; tube sections unsuitable for their intended use.

In accordance wi'ththe present invention these objections to tube cutting-machines and methods of the prior art are overcomeand machines-and methods" provided whereby tubing or lengths of tube formed of -fibrous on othen materialmay be cut into relatively short sections by cuttingmeans whichmove from the interior toward the exterior of the-tuhine and toward: a surfaceof the tubing which is supported-during the cutting operation. In thiswayseparation of the-plies of fibrous; material is prevented and the ends of the tube sections produced are provided with smooth outwardly turned or bevelled surfaces which-tend to guide; closure members into the ends of the tube sections or permit ready application of thetube sections to containers as slipcovers.

@ne of the principal objects of my invention is toprovide machines and methods fer cuttin tubes wherein acuttin-g element is moved from the interior toward theexterior of the tube to sever the tubing and prevent the tormation of inwardlty extend-ing burr-thereon; a

Another object otthe invention is to: provide a machine wherein. tubular material:- bei'ng; out, is supported on the exterior: while; being cut. out,- wardly from the; interior: thereof.

Another objectotthe invention is to provide improved methods for cutting tubing whereby the tendency to separate the-pliesoii which tubing may be; formed; or: to; strip: a lining from, the

materiall is. overcame,

A further object of the invention is'to; provide novel: methods-and means for: forming fibrous tube: sections presenting end portions with sunfaoesrthatane bevel-led ore-inclined: inwardly tothe tube from: the outer surfaceth'ereoft.

These; and; other objects: and. featuresuoi" my inventiom will; appear from the following description thereon wherein: reference is made. to the figures ot the; accompamnngdrawings:

Inthe drawings: i

Fig; ll i's awsidevelevation of a preterred form of'tube cuttingmachine embodying: the; present intention. i i i l l I Fla; 2 is: an ends elevation: of the machine illus trated in Fig. 1*, as seen: from the right end thereof.

I ia. 3 isa 1bng itudinal view: partly: in section and partly in elevation showing details of the machine illustrated in l ng; ii-isan enlargedend; viewof the mandrel and cuttingelements the machine illustrated imE'ig; 1.. i i

Fi'g 5 is -alongitudinal sectionaliviewof a part of the mandrel andcutterillustrated in Fig; 3

Ei'g-z 6 is-a sectional view of a part of a con tainen closure, and slip cover embodying the present invention, and I Fig. 7. is al'bngitudinal: sectional view through a. portion: of an alternative form of mandrel construction.

that'form of "my: invention illustrated in Figs. I= to-5 ofthe drawings the machine comprisesa bed 2 which is mounted on supports 4 and carries a motor 6 for rotating the tubular mandrel 8. The mandrel is driven from the motor by a belt Iii which passes over a pulley l2 bolted or otherwise secured to the mandrel 8. The mandrel in turn is mounted for rotation within the bearing block I4-secured to the bed 2 of .the machine.

The diameter of the mandrel 8 will vary with the size of the tubing to be cut and mandrels of different sizes may be used. However, in any,v

case, the mandrel employed issufiicientlylarger mandrel. The free end of, the mandrel may be bevelled as indicated at l so as to direct the tube sections into the mandrel in charging the machine. I

A shaft It extends longitudinally through the mandrel 8 but is positioned eccentric to the axis of rotation of the mandrel. Cutter elements such as the rotary cutting wheels l8 are mounted on the shaft 16 by means of the mounting blocks zlliset into recesses 22 in the shaft l6 and secured to the shaft by bolts or the like. The cutter elements project fromthe shaft l6 and theposition of the shaft and cutters is such that rotation of the shaft causes the cutters l8 to swing outward toward the inner surface of the mandrel 8 and toward the inner face of a tube section 24 located in and rotated by the mandrel. In this way the cutters move from the interior toward the exterior of the tube as indicated by the dotted line 26 in Fig. 4.

Rotation of the tube sections 24 with the mandrel is insured by the operation of the cutters l8, which in the cutting operation move toward the rotating mandrel 8 thus compressing the material and urging it against the rotating surface of the mandrel 8. This insuresthe desired rotation of the tubing 24 without requiring a close fit of mandrel and tubing.

K Any desired number of cutters l8 may be employed and they may be spaced longitudinally of the shaft I6 to sever the tubing into sections of any desired length. The length of the mandrel therefore should be suflicient to receive a length of the tubing of sufficient length to produce a number of tube sections in one operation.

With this construction the blades l8 of the cuttingelements are located on theinterior of the tube to be cut'and are so spaced from the inner surface of the mandrel prior to the cutting operation that the fibrous tube may be readily inserted into the .mandrel. and about the shaft and cutters. Thereafter the mandrel is rotated by the motor 6 and belt l0 and the shaft l36 "is rocked to move the cutter blades l8 outwardly against the inner surface of the tube so as to cause the tubing to rotate with the mandrel and at'the same time out the. tubing intosections of the desired length.

As illustrated in Fig. 5, the cutting blade 18 is of a rotary type and has a bevelled edge l9'so that on cutting through the fibrous tubing from the interior toward the exterior, the part of the tube adjacentthe blade is turned outward and is itself bevelled as illustrated in Fig. 6. The lies of material of which the tubing is formed are thus turned outward andcompacted so that the inner surfaces of the cut edges of the resulting tube sections are smooth, strong and tapered toward the interior of the. tubesece tion.

;The tube sections produced may be used as slip covers asshowniat, 30 in Fig.6, the inner edges 4 of the sections being somewhat rounded or bevelled by the cutting blades as shown at 32 so as to present a surface which will aid in guiding the cover into place about the member to which it is applied. Similarly, as illustated in Fig. 6, the cut tube section may be used as a container body 36 into which a closure member 38 may be'inserted. When so used the insertion of the closure member is aided by compacted and inwardly tapered cut edge 40 of the body. This surface is free from any inwardly than the tubing to be cut to permitthej rea'dyj-f insertion of a section of the tubing into the fextendingburr or ragged edge so that the closure member is guided into place whereas the body is strengthened and compacted at the cut edge and all'danger. of splitting the plies of the body 'apart-or weakening the edge and all danger of Q ing'body is avoided.

In order to discharge the cut sections from the tubular mandrel 8 after the fibrous tubing has been-cut into a plurality of sections of the desired length, longitudinal extending rods or ejector members 50 are slidably mounted in a bearing block 52 which substantially closes the inner end of the mandrel. These rods are secured to a cross head 54 provided with a handle 56. The rods 50 arev located adjacent the inner surface of the mandrel 8 and when retracted from an abutment against which a length of the fibrous tubing to be cut may be positioned. The cross head 50 is slidable on the eccentrically mounted shaft I6 so that after the tubing has been cut into sections the rods 50 may be moved longitudinally through the mandrel to push the tube sectionsout of the mandrel and thus clear the mandrel for receiving another length of tubing to be cut.

The rods 50 are positioned as shown in Fig. 4 so that-when the cutters are in their retracted positions, as shown in full lines, they pass on opp-osite sides of thecutter blades l8 and shaft Hi. In order to prevent the rods 56 from being advanced into the tubing during a cutting operation or into position to engage or injure the cut-- ters l8. a pin 58'is mounted on the shaft l6 and the cross head His provided with a slot indicated in dotted lines at 60 in Fig. 3. When shaft i6 and cutters 18 are rocked from their full line position in Fig. 4 toward a cutting position the pin 58 on shaft 16 is moved out of registry with the slot til sothat the cross head cannot be advanced to the rightas seen in Fig. 3 to eject the tubing or interfere with the cutting operation. However, when the shaft l6 and the cutters are returned to the full line" position of Fig. 4 the pin 58 and slot 60 will register and the rods 58 then may pass freely through the mandrel on opposite sides of the cutters to eject the cut tube sections without engaging the cutters I8.

I Rocking or rotation of the shaft 6 and cutters -18 to cut the tubing is effected by an operating handle 62 which extends through a slot 64 from the-bearing block 52 and is movable to the left from the full line position of Fig. 2, or downward from the full lineposition of 3 to rock the shaft I6 and move the cutters toward the inner surface of the mandrel and the tubing placed therein. Movement of the handle 62 andcutters I B is limited by the adjustable stop 65. The handle 62,. when inits full line position, engages a roller 86 on the end of a spring pressed switch operating arm 68 which controls operation of themotor 6. i v

vWith this construction the arm 68 is urged toward the left, as seenin Fig. 3, by a spring (not shown) which may be housed in the switch box Hi2. Movementuoi the cutter operating handle li2 to the left, as seenin Fig. 2;:serves first to dis engage theroller 6.6. onithe switch operating arm 68-. and. the arm fitzis then free to move 'tosthe left, as. seen in Fig. 3; to. start themotor 6 for rotating.- the mandrel 9.. :Thus the first action resu-ltingfrom/the movement of the. handle 52 initiates rotation of. the mandrei and the l'ength on thel tube carried thereby. whereas further movement of the handle 62 serves tolrock the eccentrically mounted shaft it: and: the cutters l8 through the arm 2% until the cutters engage: theatubing. and force it against the mandrel: to insure rotation of the tubing and to cut the tub. ing. into. sections. Thereafter when the tubing has been-cut into sections thehandle 62 is moved back to its fullline position whereupon it engaged he roller on theswitch operating arm G8 to move Said: arm tothe right, as seen in Fig. 3, and break thewcircuit for driving the motor. time, the pin 5.8011 shaft it is moved intoregistry with the slot'fit in. the cross head 53 to permit longitudinal movement of: the crosshead 5t and the ejecting rods 5 for ejecting the cut tube sec tions: from. the mandreli The handle as on the cross head may: then be grasped and movedto the. rightrasseeniin Fig. 1; so that the severed tube sections are pushed: out of the end of the mum dreli i 4 i k Springs 12 on the ejecting rods serve to cushion the. action of the ejecting rods and cross head when they are moved to eject the tube sections andithusprevent injury to the bearing block 52.

After ejecting the out tubes from the mandrelthe crossheadand' ejecting rods are returned-to the fullline'position-shown in the drawings, clearing themandrel to receive a new length-of the tubing tube out.

During the cutting'operation the cutter blade ifl'rfirst. engages the inner liner of. the tubebeing out: ancLforces the tube against the inner surface ofthe. mandrel so that the tube issupported atits outer surface duringthe cutting operation and isurged against th inner surface of the mandrelfso as. to be rotated positively thereby. At thesamc time the inner surface of the tube is compressed and turned or bevelledoutwardl by the cutter. blade to. form the compacted and bcyelledscut surface on the end of the tube see tions. The resulting cut edge requires no trim minshburnishingor other operationsto remove ragged or'projectingedges and the tube sections;

produced are. ready for. usev directly to receive a closure-in forminga container or for use in forming-covers adapted to beslipped over a container.

When-the mandrel 8' is relatively long or is relatively small in diameter, it is sometimes desirableito provide an outer end bearing for the eccen-trically mounted shaft l 6 sothat theshaft will be properly positioned during rotation thereof and while the length of tubing is being out into sections. For this purpose a pivoted bearing member 14 maybemounted on the bed 2 of the machine and movable into positionto engage the free end- 0f .the shaft It. The bearing "M may be moved to its full line position-as-seenin Eig Z to disengage the end ofthe. shaft it so that the mandrel is unobstructed during the operations of chargingga length of tubing into the mandrel! and When-discharging cut sections of the tube from the mandrel. However, it may be. swung into-a yertical position to supportand accurately pcsitionsthe shaftduring the cutting operation.

It' also; is desirable in some instances; toeproe At the 7 same vide the mandrel with replaceable-cuttingrings or bushings located opposite the cutting elements in position to cooperate therewith in serving the tubing into-sections. Aisillustratedin Fig: 'I themandrel'lhmay be provided with cutting rings 18 positioned to support thetubing during the cutting operation and" held inplace by spacer rings tti and retainermembers 82 and 8t. Thecutting rings are positionedoppositethe cutting elements or knives 86 and maybe formed of hardened" steel or any othersuitable material desired. With this construction the cutting rings may be replaced readily andeconomically and they can be spaced oral-ranged to correspond to the positions of thecutting elements whenthey are=increased or decreased in number or otherwise rearranged. Atthe same time the mandrel itself, which isrelatively more expensive canbe used continuously and-with bushing or cutting rings of difierent internal' diameter.

In operating the mechanism described the diameter of: themandrel-employed and the number of cutting elements used will= bedetermined by the size of the tube used and the type of a product to be produced Thus, in a typical case, when forming container bodies six-inches in length and four inches in diameter the mandrel maybe fourand-a-half inches in diameter andtwo feet or more in length; 'The lengths of tubing to be out into sections will conveniently be somewhat-more than two feet in length and are severed to form four container bodies. Such a length of tubing is-inserted into the endof the mandrel until it engages the nds of the retractedejecting rods it. During insertion of'thetubing the mandrel is stationary; Thereafter the operating-handle 62 is moved to theleft, asseen in Fig. 2, or downward as shownin -Fig. 3,- so that it disengages the end'ofthe-switch operating arm 68 and the motor is then started so that the cutter'and tubing are rotated. Continued-movement of the operating handle forces the cutters against the inner sur-' face of the tubing and forcibly urges the tubing against the-mandrel to insure rotation of the tube. The tubing is thus cutinto sections of the desired length after which the operating handle 62" is returned to its fullline position so that it en gagesthe switchoperating arm to stop. the motor. Themandrel'then ceases to rotate and the eject-- ing rod's-aremoved to discharge the cut sections from the mandrel. The mandrel is thus emptied and. again may be charged with a new length of tubing and the cycle of operations repeated.

While I have illustrated and described the machine withparticular reference to the manufacture-ofifibrous container bodies and slip covers for: containers; it-will be apparent that the apparatus may be used in cutting tubing formed of othermaterialswherein it is desirable to form a bevelled-outwardlyturned surface on the end of thectuber The number and position of the cutters: usedin any particular construction may be varied as desired-andthe type ofcuttingelement employed also: iscapable of modification. In viewthereofi-t-shouldbe understood that the particu larwembodiment of my invention illustrated in the drawings andherein described is intended to be illustrative of my invention and-it is not intended to limit the scope of the following claims.

1. A machine for severing'tubing comprising means for' rotating the tubing to be severed about the' lon-gitudinal axis thereof, a shaft positioned eccentrically with respect: of the axis. of: saidfitubinga cutter mounted on said shaft andw projecting therefrom, means for rotating said shaft to move said cutter toward the inner surface of the tubing to cut the tubing from the interior toward theexterior thereof and means on the exterior of the tube for supporting the tube in the area in which it is cut.

2. A machine for cutting tubing into sections comprising means for rotating the tubing to be out about the longitudinal axis thereof, a shaft positioned eccentrically with respect to the axis of said tubing, a plurality of cutters spaced longitudinally of said shaft and projecting therefrom, and means for rotating said shaft to move said cutters toward the inner surface of the tubing to cut the tubing from the interior toward the exterior thereof and into sections of predetermined length.

3. A machine for cutting tubing comprising a tubular mandrel adapted to receive the tubing to be cut, means for rotating said mandrel and tubing about the longitudinal axis thereof, a cutter located within the mandrel and tubing, means for moving said cutter toward the inner surface of the mandrel to engage the tubingand out the same from the interior toward the exterior thereof, and means for ejecting the tubing from said mandrel.

4. A machine for cutting tubing into sections comprising a tubular mandrel adapted to receive the tubing to be cut, means for rotating the cutter and tubing about the longitudinal axis thereof, a plurality of cutters located within the mandrel and tubing and spaced longitudinally thereof, means for moving the cutters toward the inner surface of the mandrel to engage the tubing and out the same frorn'the interior toward the exterior of the tubing and into sections'of a predetermined length, and means movable longitudinally of said mandrel to eject the sections of tubing therefrom,

5. A machine for cutting a tubing comprising a tubular mandrel adapted to receive the tubing to be cut, means for rotating said mandrel and tubing about the longitudinal axis thereof, a shaft, located eccentrically with respect to said mandrel and tubingand having a cutting element projecting therefrom, and means for rotating said shaft to move the cutting element toward the inner surface of the mandrel to engage said tubing and cut the same from the interior toward the exterior thereof.

, 6. A machine for cutting tubing comprising a tubular mandrel adapted to receive the tubing to be, cut, means for rotating said mandrel and tubing about the longitudinal axis thereof, a shaft located eccentrically with respect to said mandrel and tubing and having a cutting element projecting therefrom, means for rotating said shaft from a neutral positionto a cutting position to move the cutting element toward the inner surface of the mandrel to engage said tubing and out the same from the interior toward the exterior thereof, ejecting means movable to discharge out tubing from said mandrel and cooperating means connected to said shaft and ejecting means to prevent operation of the ejecting means when said shaft is moved from said neutral position.

7. A machine for cutting tubing comprising a tubular mandrel adapted to receive the tubing to be cut, means for rotating said mandrel and tubing about the longitudinal axis thereof, a shaft located within said mandrel and tubin and having a cutting element carried thereby, means for moving said cutting element'from a 8 retracted position toward the inner surface of the mandrel to engage said tubing and cut the same from the interior toward the exterior thereof, ejecting means having a part thereof movable to a retracted position adjacent the inner end of said mandrel, means for moving said ejecting means longitudinally of the mandrelto eject cut tubing from the mandrel, and means for holding said ejecting means in its retracted position when said cutting element is moved from its retracted position.

8. A machine for cutting a length of fibrous tubing comprising a tubular mandrel adapted to receive a length of the tubing to be cut, means for rotating said mandrel and tubing about the longitudinal axis thereof, a shaft located eccentrically within said mandrel and tubing and having a plurality of rotatable cutters spaced longitudinally of said shaft and presenting bevelled cutting edges, and means for rotating said shaft to move the cutters toward the inner surface of the mandrel and against the tubing to out the tubing from the interior toward the exterior thereof and form a bevelled cut edge on the sections of tubing produced.

9. A machine for cutting tubing comprising driving means for rotating the tubing to be out about the longitudinal axis thereof, a cutter located within the tubing being rotated by said driving means, operating means for moving said cutter toward the inner surface of the tubing to cut the tubing from the interior toward the exterior thereof, and means responsive to movement of said operating means for controlling said driving means.

10. A machine for cutting tubing comprising a tubular mandrel adapted to receive the tubing to be cut, driving means for rotating said mandrel and tubing about the longitudinal axis thereof, a cutter located within said mandrel, operating means for moving said cutter toward the inner surf-ace of the mandrel to engage tubing rotated thereby and cut the tubing from the interior toward the exterior thereof, means for ejecting cut tubing from the mandrel, and means actuated by said operating means for controlling the operation of said driving and ejecting means.

11. A machine for cutting tubing comprising a tubular mandrel adapted to receive the tubing to be cut, means for rotating said mandrel and tubing about the longitudinal axis thereof, a cutter located within the mandrel and tubing, means for moving said cutter outward toward the inner surface of the mandrel to engage the tubing and cut the same from the interior toward the exterior thereof, and a replaceable cutting ring mounted for rotation with said mandrel and presenting an inwardly facing anvil-like surface normal to the edge of said cutter and in position to be engaged by the cutter for supporting the tubingduring the cutting thereof.

MATTHEW C. RICCIARDI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 540,881 Sponsel June 11, 1895 628,595 Barrows July 11, 1899 1,006,574 Lorenz Oct. 24, 1911 1,622,253 Putt et al Mar. 22, 1927 2,304,828 Joy Dec. 15, 1942 

